The Insitute of Grocery Distribution has published a guide about water in grocery supply chains.
“Understanding, assessing and managing water in grocery supply chains” is designed to help food and grocery companies of all sizes assess the impact of, and better manage, the increasing water-related risks they face.
The guide outlines the main challenges faced by food and grocery companies and suggests solutions.
* Water is a scarce resource: only 0.5 per cent of global water is available as freshwater for human-use
* As a global average, irrigation accounts for 70 per cent of water withdrawals
* The food and grocery supply chain is a heavy water user
* The UK imports about 62 per cent of its water needs, mainly embedded in agricultural products.
It has been put together by an industry working group consisting of major grocery retailers, manufacturers and primary producers. These organisations are part of the larger IGD Industry Sustainability Group.
Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive, IGD, said: “The triple challenge of a fixed water supply, steadily increasing population and more frequent extreme weather, makes the risk of a ‘Water Crunch’ one of the biggest threats we’ve faced in decades.”
